Soldiers blamed for deaths of Basilan plantation workers

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Residents of a village in Mohammad Ajul town in Basilan province have blamed government soldiers for the deaths of three rubber plantation workers, two of them minors, whose bodies were hastily dumped in a grave there on Sunday.

Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez, commander of the Western Mindanao Command, promised to look into allegations that soldiers from the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion shot and killed cousins Radzmie, 14; Jemar, 16; and Gaggil, 20, all surnamed Jama.

Villagers, who asked not to be identified due to security concerns, said the victims could have been mistaken for Abu Sayyaf bandits.

Witnesses later led the victims’ families to their relatives’ gravesite. On Monday, members of the Jama family posted photos of the victims on Facebook and sought help so soldiers allegedly behind their deaths could be punished.

Galvez said he did not receive a report of an encounter in Candiis. He also said he was not aware of a military operation there on Sunday.

“I heard there was a group complaining about the supposed incident in Candiis. We will look into this (complaint),” he said.

Galvez said as far as he knew, the only engagement in Basilan on Sunday took place on Mt. Matangal, not in Candiis.

Amirah Lidasan of the Moro organization, Suara Bangsamoro, said civilian deaths in military operations against the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan and Sulu provinces should be investigated.

“Again, based on unfounded accusations and poor intelligence reports, civilians, including minors, are killed in military operations,” she said.

Lidasan said the victims of the Candiis incident added to the growing list of civilians allegedly killed by soldiers. —JULIE ALIPALA